97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
SB3437

 

Introduced 2/7/2012, by Sen. M. Maggie Crotty

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
50 ILCS 740/2  from Ch. 85, par. 532
50 ILCS 740/9  from Ch. 85, par. 539
50 ILCS 740/10  from Ch. 85, par. 540

    Amends the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act. Provides that the definition of "local governmental agency" includes the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Provides that if employees of the Office of the State Fire Marshal meet certain requirements, then they shall not be prohibited from receiving training certifications on the grounds that they are not employed or otherwise engaged by an organized Illinois fire department. Makes other changes.


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A BILL FOR

 

SB3437LRB097 14453 KMW 59302 b

1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Fire Protection Training Act is
5amended by changing Sections 2, 9, and 10 as follows:
 
6    (50 ILCS 740/2)  (from Ch. 85, par. 532)
7    Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the
8context requires otherwise:
9    a. Office means the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
10    b. "Local governmental agency" means any local
11governmental unit or municipal corporation in this State. It
12does not include the State of Illinois or any office, officer,
13department, division, bureau, board, commission, or agency of
14the State except: (i) a State controlled university, college,
15or public community college, or (ii) the Office of the State
16Fire Marshal.
17    c. "School" means any school located within the State of
18Illinois whether privately or publicly owned which offers a
19course in fire protection training or related subjects and
20which has been approved by the Office.
21    d. "Trainee" means a recruit fire fighter required to
22complete initial minimum basic training requirements at an
23approved school to be eligible for permanent employment as a

 

 

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1fire fighter.
2    e. "Fire protection personnel" and "fire fighter" means any
3person engaged in fire administration, fire prevention, fire
4suppression, fire education and arson investigation, including
5any permanently employed, trainee or volunteer fire fighter,
6whether or not such person, trainee or volunteer is compensated
7for all or any fraction of his time.
8    f. "Basic training" and "basic level" shall mean the Basic
9Operations Firefighter program as promulgated by the rules and
10regulations of the Office.
11(Source: P.A. 96-974, eff. 7-2-10.)
 
12    (50 ILCS 740/9)  (from Ch. 85, par. 539)
13    Sec. 9. Training participation; funding. All local
14governmental agencies and individuals may elect to participate
15in the training programs under this Act, subject to the rules
16and regulations of the Office. The participation may be for
17certification only, or for certification and reimbursement for
18training expenses as further provided in this Act. To be
19eligible to receive reimbursement for training of individuals,
20a local governmental agency shall require by ordinance that a
21trainee complete a basic course approved by the Office, and
22pass the State test for certification at the basic level within
23the probationary period as established by the local
24governmental agency. A certified copy of the ordinance must be
25on file with the Office.

 

 

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1    Individuals who have retired from active fire service
2duties and are officially affiliated with fire service
3training, mutual aid, incident command, fire ground
4operations, or staff support for public fire service
5organizations shall not be prohibited from receiving training
6certification from the Office on the ground that they are not
7employed or otherwise engaged by an organized Illinois fire
8department if they otherwise meet the minimum certification
9standards set by the Office.
10    Employees of the Office shall not be prohibited from
11receiving training certifications from the Office on the
12grounds that they are not employed or otherwise engaged by an
13organized Illinois fire department if they otherwise meet the
14minimum certification standards set by the Office and the
15certifications are directly related to their job-related
16duties, as determined by the Office.
17    The Office may by rule provide for reimbursement funding
18for trainees who are volunteers or paid on call fire protection
19personnel beyond their probationary period, but not to exceed 3
20years from the date of initial employment. The Office may
21reimburse for basic or advanced training of individuals who
22were permanently employed fire protection personnel prior to
23the date of the ordinance. Individuals may receive
24reimbursement if employed by a unit of local government that
25participates for reimbursement funding and the individual is
26otherwise eligible.

 

 

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1    Failure of any trainee to complete the basic training and
2certification within the required period will render that
3individual and local governmental agency ineligible for
4reimbursement funding for basic training for that individual in
5the fiscal year in which his probationary period ends. The
6individual may later become certified without reimbursement.
7    Any participating local governmental agency may elect to
8withdraw from the training program by repealing the original
9ordinance, and a certified copy of the ordinance must be filed
10with the Office.
11(Source: P.A. 96-215, eff. 8-10-09.)
 
12    (50 ILCS 740/10)  (from Ch. 85, par. 540)
13    Sec. 10. Training expenses; reimbursement. The Office, not
14later than May 30th of each year, from funds appropriated for
15this purpose, shall reimburse the local governmental agencies
16or individuals participating in the training program in an
17amount equaling equalling one-half of the total sum paid by
18them during the period established by the Office for tuition at
19training schools, salary of trainees while in school, necessary
20travel expenses, and room and board for each trainee. In
21addition to reimbursement provided herein by the Office to the
22local governmental agencies for participation by trainees, the
23Office in each year shall reimburse the local governmental
24agencies participating in the training program for permanent
25fire protection personnel in the same manner as trainees for

 

 

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1each training program. No more than 50% of the reimbursements
2distributed to local governmental agencies in any fiscal year
3shall be distributed to local governmental agencies of more
4than 500,000 persons. If at the time of the annual
5reimbursement to local governmental agencies participating in
6the training program there is an insufficient appropriation to
7make reimbursement in full, the appropriation shall be
8apportioned among the participating local governmental
9agencies. No local governmental agency which shall alter or
10change in any manner any of the training programs as
11promulgated under this Act or fail to comply with rules and
12regulations promulgated under this Act shall be entitled to
13receive any matching funds under this Act. Submitting false
14information to the Office is a Class B misdemeanor.
15(Source: P.A. 90-20, eff. 6-20-97.)